Security-focused messaging service Wire gets ultra private video call feature
You may have heard of Wire ultra-private messaging app with end-to-end encryption and no advertising to prevent misuse of user data. Wire was launched by Skype co-founder Janus Friis, as well as other Skype alumni, including Jonathan Christensen, Siim Teller, and Priidu Zilmer.  It now has added another feather to its cap – total privacy enabled video call service.
This new feature, as the company points out on Twitter, coincides with the 140th anniversary of the first successful telephone call of Alexander Graham Bell.
First telephone call was made today, 140 years ago. "Mr. Watson – come here – I want to see you." ? https://t.co/NLFiTkhFy3
— Wire (@wire) March 10, 2016
Wire promises to provide end-to-end encryption to its uses in addition to crystal clear voice and video service. Wire utilizes the Axolotl ratchet for end-to-end encryption, with prekeys employed for asynchronous communication. As such, both parties do not need to be connected simultaneously for the connection to be encrypted. This is effectively a modified implementation of the Off-the-Record protocol developed by the Wire team called Proteus, which (along with other projects) is available on GitHub. Voice and video calls are transmitted using WebRTC, with DTLS used for key negotiation and SRTP used for media transport.
At present, Wire has desktop clients for Windows (7 and above) and OS X (10.9 and above), as well as mobile apps for Android (4.2 and above) and iOS (8 and above). Presently, there are no plans for a Linux desktop client, but a feature-complete version of Wire is available on the web for Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge browsers.
The encrypted video calling feature launch comes at the time when there is raging global debate over encryption that pits privacy against security advocates, epitomised by the current standoff between the US government and Apple over San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone
Wire seeks to take on rivals like Skype, Facebook, Google and others in the video calling arena by providing ultra privacy and security to users.
You can download Wire for your Android smartphone here. iPhone and iPad users can download the App from here.
